Outreach & Education

Reaching Out to the Community

In order to sustain the effort of our volunteers, the Kiap-TU-Wish Chapter, consistent with Wisconsin TU and TU National, is actively working to engage the next generation of conservationists as well as local community members. We do this through education and outreach to the community of western Wisconsin, providing hands-on, field-based opportunities that foster awareness for the connections between Wisconsin’s trout, water resources, the environment and themselves. By fostering a strong conservation ethic in in our community, we work to ensure that natural resources will continue to be protected by and for future generations.

The future of our cold water resources and in turn committed conservation minded youth and adults is foremost in the work of the Kiap-TU-Wish. Throughout the year our chapter works with partners such as schools, outdoor sporting groups, conservation organizations, and the Wisconsin DNR to educate and promote our core conservation principles. We work at getting the community at large involved in fishing and conservation. We devote our time to community outreach, education related efforts and resource conservation projects that positively affect the citizens and resources of western Wisconsin.

Our key efforts include:

• Trout in the Classroom

• Community fly fishing clinics

• Ellsworth Middle School habitat on stream field trip presentations

• Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo booth exhibit

• Rush River Clean-up activities

• Volunteer Winter Work Days

• Citizen Stream Monitoring Initiative

Grassroots Efforts

Through sound scientific data, strong grassroots outreach & advocacy, and hands-on involvement in conservation projects—we protect some of the most pristine and prized rivers in the midwest, restore those that need some help, and engage the next generation of coldwater stewards in western Wisconsin.

Use of local knowledge as well as science-based tools to help develop, prioritize and initiate conservation efforts and advocacy.

Types of grassroots engagement:

• Support for on-the-ground community-led projects and initiatives;

• Advocacy at the national, state and local levels;

• Citizen’s Stream Monitoring;

• Dam removal and stormwater protocol;

• Collaboration and partnerships with private landowners, state, federal and local   agencies, and other key stakeholders;

• Leverage resources committed by donors and increase capacity through the efforts of our volunteers;

• Education and outreach to Wisconsin’s  young people, providing hands-on, field-based opportunities that foster awareness for the connections between Wisconsin’s trout, water resources, the environment and themselves.